1984, by George Orwell is a suspenseful and disturbing dystopian novel that makes you anxious but excited to turn the next page. 1984 has very distinct and memorable characters which resemble real traits and qualities of a normal person.

The book is called 1984 because George Orwell wrote the book in 1948 and 1984 is how he imagined the future would be. Orwell’s prediction of the future was that nearly everyone was brainwashed by Big Brother and the Party which was an organization trying to control all of Oceania, where the book takes place. Despite the Party’s efforts not everyone is controlled by them.

Some things I like about the book were its explicit detail which allows you to imagine that the world of 1984 is real. Another thing I like about the book was the suspense that makes you want to keep reading. There are many other things I liked about the book including character development of Winston and the pieces learned of his past.

However, there were some things I did not like about the book. One of these things was that in the beginning there is alot of exposition and it is confusing and boring in this part of the book. Another thing is that the symbolism of objects can be confusing such as the glass paperweight which is related to Winston trying to connect with his past.

Despite the controversial opinion on 1984 I think it is a good book and Orwell tells and interesting but disturbing story to be mindful of how important it is to have your own thoughts and beliefs. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes dystopian books, or just looking for something to read.

1984 by George Orwell is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.